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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
February 8, 2018
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Refuge funding continues to decline and it is private philanthropic support that helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
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Click the logo for more information on leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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Live Webcam is Back!
Our live Refuge Webcam, which was damaged by Hurricane Irma, is back up and running better than ever. The solar-powered camera broadcasts live scenes from the Wildlife Drive observation tower during daylight hours. So, now when you need your Refuge "fix," just head to our
home page
and click on the live cam. It's the next best thing to being here in person.
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Friday, February 16: 'Teddy Roosevelt' Speaks
Joe Wiegand has been bringing President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt to life for more than a decade and has performed in all 50 states and overseas, including a White House performance in honor of Roosevelt's 150th birthday in 2008. As part of the free
"Ding" Darling Friday Lecture Series
, "Teddy" will address the audience on period environmental issues during
three presentations
titled "Theodore Roosevelt Speaks out on Conservation."
The three lectures are scheduled for 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Friday, February 16, 2018, in the free "Ding" Darling Visitor READ MORE
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Sponsor of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series
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Lecture Seating Policy
Seating for the lectures is limited and available on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can
save one extra seat each with a personal item and then may explore the Visitor & Education Center or Indigo Trail before the lecture starts.
Saved seats must be filled 15 minutes before lecture time or they will be given up to those waiting in line.
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'Ding' Welcomes German Adventurer
German journalist and adventurer Dr. Dirk Rohrbach visited "Ding" Darling by kayak last week as part of his "50 States - A Journey into America" film project. A physician, radio journalist,
National Geographic
author, and photographer, Rohrbach paddled Lee County's Great Calusa Blueway for nine days in search of the people, encounters, and stories that make America special. His stop along Wildlife Drive was arranged as a media event by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. The following day, he toured the Refuge with Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland.
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Trivia Thursday
Where might you be able to find an American Bittern on the Refuge? Find the answer somewhere in our newsletter.
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Theodore Cross High School Photo Contest Winners
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Hankyeol Yang's (Cape Coral High) "Dead Butterfly" took first place.
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"The Visit from a Snake" by Tiffany Sanchez, Cape Coral High, won second.
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In third place, Francisco Mayorga's (Lehigh Senior High) "Weigela"
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At a special ceremony on February 3 at the Refuge, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society announced winners in the fifth annual "Ding" Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest. Sponsored by the Theodore Cross Family Charitable Foundation, the competition invited high school students from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry counties to compete for prizes that included READ MORE
All photographs taken by the winners, honorable mentions, and finalists are mounted in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center and can also be viewed on our
Facebook page.
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Go Wild Auction Item: Gold 'In the Nest' Charm
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The wax block ready for carving by the Jeweler at The Cedar Chest on Sanibel
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 Bid on this limited-edition, 18-karat gold Green Heron hatchlings charm created especially for
Go Wild for "Ding" - In the Nest
by
The Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry
. Custom-made to complement our event logo, it will be available in silver as well as gold to purchase at The Cedar Chest, which will donate a portion of its sales to DDWS.
Click
HERE
to view more Go Wild banner auction items.
If you cannot attend the fundraiser and wish to bid remotely, please contact
Birgie Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
CHAMPION SPONSORS
Entire meal donated by:
GUARDIAN SPONSORS
PROTECTOR SPONSORS
DEFENDER SPONSORS
 
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Welcome New Education Intern
Education intern Christina Scroggin recently arrived to help the Refuge with staffing shortages this season, thanks to funding from the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. Christina graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers last fall with a major in psychology and minor in interdisciplinary studies. The Miami, Florida, native previously worked as an intern for St. READ MORE
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March 31 Scholarship Deadline
Application deadline for 14 conservation scholarships starting at $1,000 each, is March 31, 2018. High school seniors and college and graduate students in or from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties pursuing degrees in environmental-related studies may apply. This is the 12th year that DDWS will be awarding scholarships. The program began in 2005 with scholarship awards in 2006 from Tarpon Bay Explorers, the Refuge's official recreation concessionaire. To date,
DDWS has awarded $97,000
. "Tarpon Bay Explorers started the program by READ MORE
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Valentine's Day Ideas
Show some sea-inspired love this Valentine's Day with a pair of seahorses etched into a glass vase by artisan Luc Century.
Or, think pink. Who doesn't love pink flamingos? Come view our selection of flamingo décor and apparel items.
Stop in and pick up your Valentine Day's gifts today. Or contact Store Manager
Jeanne Walsh
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for more information about mail-ordering these and other
featured products.
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'Ding' Welcomes New Endowment Fund
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Kevin Bowden, Candice Ethridge, "Jake" Jacobson, and Elaine Jacobson in Canada
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Friends of the late Elaine Jacobson, Kevin Bowden and Candice Ethridge, have honored her memory with an endowment fund to permanently support education efforts at the Refuge through the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. Elaine served as a "Ding" Darling volunteer for some 15 years at the front desk in the Visitor & Education Center, as a bird rover on Wildlife Drive - often READ MORE
DID YOU KNOW? Donors can establish a permanent endowment fund with a contribution of $10,000 or more. To learn more about establishing an endowment to support the Refuge or learn about the 45/82 legacy society, call 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
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Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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Location:
2,521 acres in Imperial Beach, California
Totemic fauna:
Light-footed Ridgway's Rail, California Least Tern, Least Bell's Vireo
Fun for the Family
:
The refuge offers free activities for students ages 7 to 12 every Thursday from 3:30 for 4:30 p.m., rain or shine.
Visitor's tips:
The visitor center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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California Least Tern
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Light-footed Ridgway's Rail
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In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can reduce your use of plastic or otherwise turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Go Green web page.
Go Solar
Tax credits for converting to solar energy continue through 2019, so now is the
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Solar panels installed on the maintenance building at Ding Darling
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time. "Ding" Darling led the way for solar conversion locally with its 2015 SanCap Solar Connect collective buying program. Feel free to
email us
for advice on reliable solar conversion contractors.
Reduce Plastic in Your Life
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife. Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and one-time-use plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge has also installed a filtered water refill station and transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use.
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Click
here to see this week's wildlife sightings
You might have trouble finding an
American Bittern while you're at the Refuge: it is a "stealth predator," meaning it stands motionless in vegetation at the edge of marshes and waits for its prey to approach. Check out the marshes at the Bailey Tract and see if you can spot one.
Thanks to Janet Kirk for the photo.
T
o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos taken at the Refuge, send them to Philanthropic Coordinator,
Carrie Alexander, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Awards Luncheon
- February 9, 2018
FILLED Sixth Annual Go Wild for "Ding" - In the Nest - February 14, 2018
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our website at
www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Sierra Hoisington and Amanda Brooks
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